Whether they were accidentally introduced or deliberately released, Invasive species in the US terrorizing American wildlife. They spread the disease, overcome natural wildlife for resources, and quickly spread throughout the country. Actually, Feds encourage people to eat “invasive and tasty” mice.
They also have a negative impact on the public. One dangerous invasive creatures burden billions of Americans and spread throughout the US Another Foreign invasive bugs threaten the US with a loss of $ 20 billion.
In other words, invasive species of any kind usually spell bad news. That’s why Florida tries to lead an invasive species before it becomes a bigger problem: Python Burma. Invasive Burma Pythons in Florida are moving and adjustingand Florida pays for the grasshopper to kill the invasive predator of this monster in Everglades.
But how does Burmese Pythons reach Florida in the first place? It is very interesting to know where these animals come from and how the sunlight is facing this problem.
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Burmese Pythons came to Florida in the 1990s
They may be brought for sale as pets
Python Burma (Python bivittatus) is from Southeast Asia. Country -specific countries available include:
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Cambodia
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Laos
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Indonesia
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Myanmar (Burma)
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Northeastern India
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Southern China
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Thailand
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Vietnam
Although not 100% known how they reached America, the most likely theory was that they were taken to South Florida for sale as pets in the mid-1990s. More than a decade, 99,000 Burmese Python was brought to the United States. Some of these Python either accidentally escaped or deliberately released into the wild, especially Everglades.
Pythons found that Everglades were quite accommodating, with many victims including mice, birds, and squirrels and habitats that allowed them to reproduce and reproduce.
Burma Pythons is one of the largest in the world, which grows up to 16 feet long. The The largest Burma Python ever caught in Florida is 18 feet long, but most in Florida range from 6 and 9 feet. They are not poisonous, but they can be dangerous because of their size and strength.
Burmese Pythons are supporters, wrapping themselves around their victims and squeezing them until they die. Their size allows them to take the victims as deer and crocodile. Their presence in Everglades is a catastrophe in natural florida wildlife and destroys the ecosystem.
One study found a 99% decrease in opossum and raccoon and the absence of a complete rabbit in Everglades since the introduction of Python into the ecosystem.
“Twenty years ago, the place will be filled with wildlife. Now I challenge you to find a deer, possum, or squirrel. – Mike Kirkland, a senior invasive animal biologist in the South Florida Water Management district and the creator of the Python removal program, as reported by Bbc.
The effects of Python on wildlife in Everglades and South Florida have led to many programs to eliminate Pythons from Everglades.
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Florida pays for Kelly’s hunter to kill Burmese Pythons
This is just one of the many programs to eliminate this invasive snake
Residents of Python Burma in South Florida have gained so much that Florida brought her a specialty hunter in eliminating Burmese Pythons, as part of the Python removal program. One hunter’s hunter in particular, Amy sillsKnown as HunTress Python.
He works as a Python removal agent for the South Florida Water Management district, paid hours for the time he spends Python hunt, as well as the gift for each python arrested at $ 50 for each python below 4 feet, another $ 25 feet above 4 feet, and $ 200 to find the python nest.
Siewe spent the winter days and summer nights in South Florida hunting Pythons, squatting behind his truck with his eyes on the sidewalk, waiting for Python Burma to make his presence known. When he sees it, he needs to move quickly.
They spend 85% of the time they don’t move, and if they return to the brush, it’s impossible to find them because they are well -disgusted. So you can’t hesitate. – Amy Siewe, as reported by Bbc.
Capturing Python Burma involving Siewe holding the back of Python’s head while his partner warms his mouth. It was a dangerous job, but Siewe said it was worth the difference made with each arrest.
Although he no longer works for the South Florida Water Management area, Siewe still captures Burma Pythons. He decided to go out on his own, and now he offers hunting with him to help catch some of these invasive snakes.
Siewe is not the only hunter that captures Burmese Pythons in Florida. There are others who make a career from hunting and capturing Burmese Pythons. The Python removal program should only be a three -month pilot program, but it has been around for eight years.
There are 50 paid contractors working for the program and since the launch of the program, Over 8,500 Pythons has been removed from Florida.
As an invasive species, Burmese pythons cannot be transported alive. So, they must be killed when they are arrested. However, Mike Kirkland, the mastermind of the Python removal program, wanted to make sure that the Python was emptied by humanity.
“It is important for me that Pythons are emptied human beings, these are living beings here without their own fault. We follow very strict guidelines.” – Mike Kirkland, as reported by Bbc.
After Python was arrested, it must be measured on a video call with the Kirkland team, and then the hunter can do it with a snake carcass what they want. For example, Amy Siewe will use snake skin to make accessories.
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South Florida Water Management District organizes Florida Python’s challenge
This annual challenge attracts competitors from around the world
People are usually not compensated to catch Burmese Pythons; Only state contractors can be compensated. But once a year, for 10 days in August, the South Florida Water Management District hosted Florida Python Challenge, an attractive event from around the world.
The idea behind the challenge is easy. Anyone who captures the longest win Python Burma, and the prize money is $ 30,000. There are also other challenges, and by September 2024, Ronald Kiger from Marion County, Florida, received a $ 10,000 prize to issue 20 Python in 10 days!
Outside of Florida Python Challenge, Mike Kirkland does not encourage Burma Pythons for sports. However, the water management district provides the opportunity to go out hunt with one of their free contractors. This helps ensure that Python is human.
However, Kirkland says that hunting for Pythons is not enough to eliminate it completely. There must be a combination of education, law, and science to do so.
For example, in 2021, Burmese Pythons were added to Florida a list of prohibited speciesMaking it illegal to buy, sell, or transport them, and anyone who owns Burma Python before having to have a registered and criticized snake so that it can be detected if it escapes.
The water management district is also partnering with other organizations, such as the University of Florida University Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS), to conduct a survey to see where most Python is being arrested to have more contractors in areas looking for Pythons.
Python Burma
Kirkland and his team also came in a new way to detect and arrest Pythons. A method involves marking pythons in the hope that Python will bring hunters to female pythons or python nests to try to reduce new pythons born.
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Burma Pythons is a major problem in South Florida, and Sunshine State has a whole. But the work of a bare hunter to try to get rid of this invasive reptiles has proven to have a positive effect.
However, more efforts are needed to make this Python more efficient and effective. It is a continuous battle that may take a few more years to conclude.